Many people can afford finance without it causing any issue. It gets them in to nice cars they can't afford buy outright. I don't see any issue with that as its their choice how they spend there money. Very few people have the type of spare cash required to buy a car outright. Also, is that the best use of funds? Cars are depreciating assets. If you can lodge money elsewhere and get a low APR deal for car finance it may not be sensible to chuck it all at a car.